Cable connecter



Oct. 22, 1929. v C U 1,732,927

CABLE CONNECTER Filed NW. 12, 1926 INVENTOR LEW/S H C/wrc/z BY I cable and provided at Fatented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEWIS H. CHURCH, or ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR To THE THOMAS & BETTS 00., 0E ELIZABETH,

NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY CABLE CONNEGTER Application filed November 12, 1926.. Serial No. 148,072.

The invention relates to cable connecters and particularly to adapter connecters capable of universally anchoring cable of all sizes and shapes to electric fixture or outlet boxes. The object of the present invention is the provision of an adapter connecter capable of anchoring armored cable to boxes, Whichshall close that portion of the box hole or knock-out opening not occupied by the cable,

and guard the wires-agalnst abrasion by the sharp edges of the severed ragged end of the metallic cable; and to prevent direct engagement of the screw operating means against the armored cable.

According to the present invention, an adapter, movably mounted on the connecter member,includes a cable clamp plate provided at one end with a shutter to close that portion of the box hole'not occupied'by the the other end with a bushing serving as a stop for the cable and protective means for the insulation on the wires. The bushing may contribute to the closing of the box hole and the connecter passage. The shutter and the bushing are preferably formed upon opposite ends of a clamp plate, at substantially right angles thereto, and extending in opposite directions there from. They also serve to prevent axial displacement of the adapter and guide the same p in movable relation in or to the connecter member to maintain said adapter in working alignment with the operating means.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference will be had to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating an example of the invention.

Figure 1 represents a group of views, in side and end elevation and in longitudinal section, showing one type of connecter member as a frame or base on which the movable parts areto be mounted.

Figures 2 and 3 show an example of the adapter, Figure 2 being a section on the line 22, and Figure 3 an end elevation of the bushing end.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the assembled connecter looking from the end carrying the bushing.

sertionin a v Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows the assembled adapter connecter looking from the shutter end.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section, showing the adapter connecter mounted in an electric fixture box, with an armored cable secured therein; and Figure 8 is an outside View thereof.

Figure 9 is an end viewof the. connecter with the bushing removed looking toward the shutter end with a flat armoredcable secured within a connecter. i

Electric outlet boxes B are manufactured with knock-out openings or holes H to receive the cable C and connecters, and byt-he use of the improved connecter the armored cable C is anchored in the box B and electrical wiring connections are made inside the box with the wires W coming fromthe cable.

ing box hole anchorage grooves 19 proximate the ends. The ends of the stamping, from which'the connecter member is formed, come together to form a longitudinal split 20 which ermits the connecter member to be contracted, that is, its circumference reduced, for inbox hole H. The box hole edge is enga ed, upon expansion of the connecter member 17, within one of the grooves 19, as shown in Figure 7, to effect anchorage of the connecter member 17 in a box hole. While a rooved sleeve type part 17 is shown, other forms of connecter members and anchorage means may be used.

Thesl-eeve 17 is thus adapted to receive an armored. cable C. Within or upon this conmeter is mounted an'adapter comprising a cable clamp plate 2 whereof one end is turned upwardly, at substantially a right angle, to form a shutter 25. The other end of the plate 24: is also turned substantially at right angles, but in the opposite direction, and forms a bushing 27 serving as a stop for the armored cable to prevent its entering the interior of the box and also. protecting the wires W against abrasion by the sharp edges of the severed armor, the Wires passing through the gushing aperture 80 into the interior of the The shutter 25 is of such dimensions as to close the end of the sleeve 17 or that portion thereof-hot occupied by the cable 0, and to close the box hole H against the admission of dirtor laster into the interior of the electric fixtuieE I t ute to thisclosirig of the 'box hole "and thus both shutter 25 and bushing 27 form what may be referred to as shutter or closure ends. The shutter 25 and the'bushing 27 also serve as positioning means to prevent axial displacement of thegad'apter 2442mm as guiding means therefore asit is moved toward or away from the cable-C- 'and" with respect to screw operating means 26 whi'c'h is threaded through a" screw hole 29' formed in the' con-.

necter member to drive the clampplate 24: against the armored cable O and clamp it 'in the connecter and-anchor the connecter in the box hole H. p I

Preferably, the bushing 27 may have rolled edges,"that 'is, it is rolled into a partly cylindrical'or curled annular shape to present smoothcurvilinear edges OVGT-WhlClI the Wires W mayibe bent in making the electrical connections within the fixture box B'so that neltherithe wires nor their insulation will be abraded bysh'arp' edges. It is to be noted that'thisconstruction afi'ords a full-fashioned bushing-i. e. one which is completely-circular in formation" and not splitor mutilated.

It will thus be seen that'the adapter connecter" has provision for shielding electric wires'W against abrasion bythe edgefot armored' cable and is applicable'with' either round armored-cable O, in Figures 7 and '8, or flat armored cable'FC, in Figure 9, While the interioro'f'theelectric fixture box B is closed againstrthe admission of dirt or pl'aster'by the shutter 25 and'the bushing:27, all in a c'onstruetionwhic'h is simple of manufacture and'e'asy'to assemble.

I It'vvillbe ob'serve'd that'my' invention presents'anovel adapter wherein a bushing and 'a shutter are spaced apart inoffsetiparallel relation and integral at theirproximate edges With aclain'p plate; and aconnectermember with operating means is mounted for full latera'l m'otion between the shutter and bushing.

Various modifications maybe made in the type ofcon'ne'cter member and clamp plate operating means with which the adapter of thte'bre'sent invention is associated.

liAf conne'c'ter comprising; a member including-(boxhofileedge anchorage means, a bushing transversely movable With respect to oneeridof the member, means for retaining'said'bushihg-in position on the member including a freely' movable part disposed at the other end of the member and which also slides transversely thereof and operating ing means to exert clamping pressure against a cable.

3. A connecter comprising, a member including box hole anchorage means, a box hole shutter movably'carried' with thememher, a bushing carried with theshutter, and operating means to exert clamping pressure against a cable and hold the'shutter-closed;

e, A connecter comprising, a"member""ineluding box hole anchorage means; a clamp plate movably carried with the-member; hav; ing a shutter adapted to closethe box hole, and a bushing"; and 'operatings m eans to *ap? ply pressure to the clamp plate andholdthe shutter closed. V

5. A connecter comprising, a-"membenin eluding box hole anchoragemeans, aclamp plate movably mounted onthe' member, a

shutter carried oneach end ofthe clamp plate at'an' angle thereto andextendingi 'in opposite directions, one of saidshuttersbeing'formed With a passage for a cable; and clamp plate operating means. a 7

- 6. A connecter comprisingya membefiineluding-box hole anchorage meanst a' cable clamp plate movably carried'with-the memb'er and having a shutter atone end adapted to'close the boxhole and a-bushing at the otherendto stop the-cable and -protect:its

Wires; and operating means to' move the clamp plate againsta' cable and thereby'retain' the shutter'in' box hole closingposition.

7. A connecter comprising','a sleeve including box hole anchorage means; a cable clamp:

plate movable in the sleeve, includin ashutter at one end to close the sl'eeve', andinclud= ing a bushing at'the other en'd-to'stop'the cable and protect the Wires, andoperating means to actuate the clamp-plateu 8; A connecter comprising, a'sleeve'i'ncluding resilient box hole anchoragemeansga cable clamp plate movablein the sleeve carrying a shutter at one end extending at-a-n-angle thereto to close the sleeve end and a bushing at the other end at an angle 'thereto but-extending in a direction 'oppositetothat-of the shutter to protect wires;-and-screwoperating means to actuate theicablejclamp plate and'render eife'ctiveth'ebox hole'- anchorage means. V

9. A connecter comprising, a lengthwise split sleeve provided with a box hole; anchorage groove; a cable clamp plate in the sleeve, including a shutter at one end andoutside the sleeve to close one sleeve end, and a bush ing, formed with rolled edges, at the other end outside the sleeve extending in a direction opposite to the shutter; and an operating screw carried with the sleeve to engage the clamp plate and expand the anchorage groove.

10. A connecter comprising; an adapter, includin a bushing and a shutter disposed in parallel offset spaced relation, a clamp plate integral at its ends with the proximate edges of the shutter and bushing; a lengthwise split sleeve having a box hole anchorage groove at each end adjacent the shutter and the bushing and freely mounted between the shutter and bushing; and operating means mounted on the sleeve between the anchorage grooves to bear on the clamp plate, to hold the shutter closed, and to expand the anchorage grooves.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEWIS H. CHURCH. 

